The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Looking at ways to raise funds for paving
By Alissa Johnson
The Crested Butte South Metropolitan District is in the process of implementing a monthly fee for road maintenance within the subdivision. The board of directors recently approved a monthly fee for improved lots and is considering the implementation of a quarterly fee for unimproved lots.
Ronnie Benson, head of operations for the district, says the board approved a fee of $10 per month for improved lots at its January 27 meeting. A public hearing will be conducted on February 17 at 6 p.m. to solicit feedback for a $15 quarterly fee for unimproved lots.
“That will go to the board for approval at the March meeting… [and if it is approved] that fee would be implemented for the second quarter,” Benson said.
Initially, the Metro District looked at applying fees to only improved lots. A public hearing on the matter raised concerns from the public that property owners of vacant lots should not be excluded.
Benson said he does not yet have a figure for how much money the fees would generate.
“We won’t have total generation until we figure out exactly what comes of the March approval or not approval,” he said. “We’re trying to hit $100,000 generation. We studied the last five years of road maintenance expenses and that’s right where we’re at.”
Benson emphasized that the funds will not be used to pave roads in Crested Butte South. They will be used to cover expenses for maintenance, including labor and materials. The District is, however, looking into ways to generate funds for paving.
“One thing that came up from the last public hearing was a 5, 10- or 15-year master plan on actual road pavement… People weren’t opposed to the fee but would like to see more pavement as a whole,” Benson said.
Additional funding possibilities being explored include a ballot question to generate funding, the possibility of getting Highway User Tax fees, and grants.
“Right now the only thing solidified is this fee,” Benson said. Property owners of improved lots will be billed on a monthly basis, just like water and sanitation, and if fees are approved for unimproved lots, those owners will be billed on a quarterly basis.
The public hearing on the quarterly fees for unimproved lots will be held at the Crested Butte South Metro District office on February 17 at 6 p.m.
